Futons for Less Ltd./The Birkenstock Store - founded in 1986 -
is going out of business...
Zeke started hand-making Western-style futon mattresses and sofa/bed frames because they were practical and comfortable, and began selling Birkenstock® sandals - because they were comfortable and practical. Besides, you might need to sit on something when trying on footwear...
Zeke's small family-run local business became known as the quaint old house in Kensington that made and sold futons, and sold Birkenstock® sandals. Over the years, Zeke built up a reputation of superb customer service and excellent product knowledge based on two quality products related to comfort - for the body and for the feet.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
- attributed to Aristotle
Until April 2019, we were the last Western-style futon mattress manufacturer in Alberta. We hand-made our futons on site in our shop. When our excellent cotton supplier in Burnaby, BC, retired at the end of 2018, we considered getting cotton directly from the USA or through our futon frame supplier in Ontario. The logistics were impossible. We realized we should retire from futons and focus on the Birkenstocks®.
We take pride in ensuring our customers are fitted correctly in Birkenstock® footwear - it's part science and part art to get the fit right. Wrong style, wrong fit = unhappy feet. Our policy is to get the right style, right fit = happy feet.
And now we've decided to go out of business. What? Why? A number of reasons: increasingly we're affected by the online show-room habits of internet shoppers looking for free Birkenstock® fitting services because unlicensed backchannel resellers offer extreme discounts with no customer service or correct fitting. Birkenstock® Germany has taken control of the Canadian distributorship as of October 2019 to prevent further unscrupulous business tactics ruining the reputation of their wonderful product. We understand that Birkenstocks® may eventually be sold through a controlled corporate system. Zeke has to retire sometime, so now is a good time to retire, travel, get some exercise, enjoy life...